ICYMI: Americans Blame Trump and Republicans for Government Shutdown Arrow

New polling reveals that Americans largely blame Donald Trump and Republicans for the government shutdown. There's also a wide margin of support for Democrats' call to extend ACA subsidies that make it possible for millions of Americans to afford their health care.

It's no wonder Americans blame Trump and Republicans. The government is shut down because they would rather spike health care costs for more than 22 million Americans and keep disastrous Medicaid cuts as part of their billionaire-first budget than work with Democrats on a common-sense plan that protects health care, lowers costs, and reopens the government.

In response, DNC Deputy Rapid Response Director Jaelin O'Halloran released the following statement:

"Donald Trump shut down the government to avoid shielding millions of Americans from skyrocketing health care premiums, even though he spent 10 times as much on massive tax cuts for billionaires - it's no wonder voters believe Trump and Republicans are to blame. While Democrats are fighting to lower costs, protect health care, and reopen the government, Trump, Vance, and their loyalists in Congress are hellbent on making life harder for working families just to protect their billionaire tax breaks. This is Trump's shutdown, and Americans know it."

Washington Post: We asked 1,000 Americans who they blame for the shutdown

By Washington Post staff

• The Post's poll finds significantly more Americans blame President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans for the shutdown than Democrats
• A large majority support Democrats' call to extend federal health insurance subsidies in general
• By a 17-percentage-point margin, the poll finds more saying Trump and Republicans are responsible for the partial government shutdown than Democrats in Congress
• In an open-ended question, those blaming Trump and Republicans cited a refusal to compromise, the party's control of the presidency and Congress, and Trump's actions
• Political independents are more than twice as likely to say Trump and Republicans are responsible for the shutdown as Democrats, 50 percent vs. 22 percent. Second, while 67 percent of Republicans blame Democrats for the shutdown, an even larger 87 percent of Democrats blame Trump and Republicans
• Public opinion today is comparable to several past government shutdowns when Republicans have shouldered the bulk of the blame, including twice during Trump's first presidential term
• About two-thirds of Americans say they are concerned about the partial federal shutdown, with about one-quarter saying they are "very concerned" while a 41 percent plurality are "somewhat concerned"
• The Post poll finds 71 percent of Americans say federal health insurance subsidies should be extended
• A 95 percent majority of Democrats and 80 percent of independents support extending health insurance subsidies
• ​​About three-quarters of Democrats (76 percent) and 55 percent of independents want Democrats in Congress to demand the extension of insurance subsidies even if it extends the shutdown